If the full rate were not paid, she remained, as well as her children, the property of her father or the head of her family.

The king, having the power to help himself, had an establishment of ninety women, who on gala- days, or when his army was going to take the field, were drawn up in a regiment, all wearing two long feathers on the top of their heads, a veil of strings of coloured beads over their faces, bead skirts, and brass rings over their throats and arms; these beads being the current coin of the traders.

They approached and retreated in files, flourishing their arms like bell-ringers, while they sang:-- "Arise, vulture, Thou art the bird that eateth other birds." These were, however, not wives, only female slaves.

Either from jealousy of possible sons growing up, or from the desire not to be considered as in the ranks of the _umpagati_--elders or married men--neither Charka nor Dingarn would marry, and no man could take a wife without the king's permission.

Dingarn wore his head closely shaven, whereas the married trained their woolly hair to fasten over a circle of reed, so as to look much as if they had an inverted saucepan on their heads.